The Family That He Needed - The Beginning
by Snaperipper
Summary: Forced to admit their feeling for each other, Harry and Hermione soon realize that they are soul mates, however when they both start developing feelings for their taciturn professor, what becomes of their soul bond then? This story is rated M for a true Triad relationship between M/M/F.
1. Chapter 1

Ok, so I know that I am a bit late with my Mini-Saga Monday entry, but I thought that I would change it up and respond to a few of your requests. Some of my lovely readers have requested the beginning of the love story of Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Severus Snape. I am so very happy that you all were interested enough in this triad and my stories to request the start of their HEA. I love hearing from all of you and thank you so much for following and favoriting my stories. You are all the Best!

I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters that you recognize within my stories. J.K. allows us to play in her sandbox and for that I will be forever grateful.

 **The Family That He Needed – The Beginning**

It was just the two of them, sitting beside black lake, leaning on each other and holding hands while trying to ignore the signs of devastation all around them. In a matter of hours their lives had been turned upside down, going from being Undesirable numbers one and two, to being heroes of the second wizarding war. Their losses were great and victory felt very hollow in the aftermath of all that they had endured.

"I knew that I would find the two of you together, my best friend and my so called girlfriend." said Ron coming up behind them.

"Of course we would be together Ronald, Harry is my best friend too." explained Hermione a bit tiredly.

"Well I thought that my best friend and my girlfriend would be with me in my time of need. You know since my brother just died." said Ron, his face turning red.

"Ron, we didn't want to intrude on your family's grief. We saw all of you gathering around your parents and George and we didn't want to get in the way." explained Harry

"Well you've been around my family for years Harry, we wouldn't have thought you were in the way, and I know that Ginny would want you with her. I can see Hermione maybe not feeling so comfortable, but I expected my best mate to be at my side and not at my girlfriend's side."

With the mention of their relationship status one more time, Hermione felt the need to clarify something, even though this might not be the most appropriate time.

"Wait a minute Ronald; I never agreed to be your girlfriend, during this whole running for our lives and the war that brought our school, our home to its knees. You never once asked me to be your girlfriend. I kissed you in response to your selflessness in regards to the elves plight, it never crossed my mind that it might be my last chance to, so maybe I should snog Ronald and become his girlfriend."

Seeing Ron turning more red by the minute, Harry tried to dispel the thundercloud that seemed to be appearing between his two friends.

"Ron, I am sorry that I wasn't there for your family. I know that they have been there for me over the last few years, but I know that they are grieving and mate so am I, Remus and Tonks are dead, Andy is barely holding on. I've lost Sirius and Hermione just found out that her parents moved shortly after arriving in Australia and now she has no-idea where to look for them. We are all grieving."

"That still doesn't give her the right to take all of your time away from us, away from Ginny. I know that she wants to see you. When she thought that you had died she was devastated. Are you hoping to take Ginny's place Hermione? Wanting to comfort The Man Who Lived Again, while his soul mate cries for her dead brother?"

"Oi, Ron I know that you are upset and grieving, but Hermione and I have never acted like that towards one another, I don't know how many ways I can say that we have never even kissed." replied Harry, becoming more and more aggravated with having to explain his friendship with Hermione to Ron. He knew that she was beautiful, had known it since fourth year, but he knew that Ron fancied her and just thought that he was too shy to act upon it and that they were too busy trying to survive their years of school.

"Well Hermione, you managed to kiss me, why haven't you ever kissed Harry? I've seen you checking him out since fourth year, why haven't you ever planted one on him? Or is he lying about what happened in the tent after I left. I bet that you kept each other really warm once I was gone." Ron replied with a sneer.

"Stop it Ronald, just because I felt like I was kissing a brother when I kissed you, doesn't mean that I have gone around snogging every bloke that I have seen since then. I haven't snogged Draco, Neville or Mr. Malfoy or Professor Snape. And I haven't snogged Harry! But you know what, just for being a huge prat about all of this; let me give you a show!

Looking at Harry and seeing the weariness in his beautiful green eyes, she whispered "I'm sorry." Then held his face in her hands and kissed his lips softly. Upon the touch of their lips against each other a warm wind rose up between them and a flow of magic against their hands highlighted the runes that shone in gold against their skin.


	2. Chapter 2

I would like to thank everyone that has followed and favorited this story. I know that many of you have liked my one-shots and have asked for the beginning of this story. It wasn't my intent to write this Triad yet, but with the mini challenges that I completed, it just begged to be started. I hope that you enjoy it. It won't be all HEA to begin with, but we will get there in the end. Thank you for joining me on this crazy ride.

The Family That He Needed, The Beginning

Chapter 2

Time seemed to stand still as Hermione slowly drew herself away from Harry's lips, not believing that she had kissed her best friend. She swore that she would never do this, never put him on the spot, never let him know how much she cared for him. She knew that he only saw her as a friend, maybe not even his best as he had always seemed to put Ron first in their relationship. He was the one he would miss the most according to the Triwizard tournament. She stepped back, looking down to the ground in front of her, afraid to look him in the eyes.

"Well I guess that…umm… changes things." Said Ron, running his hand down the back of his neck and trying to control the blush of embarrassment on his face from watching his two best friends experience their first kiss.

"How does this change things Ron?" asked Harry confusedly. "So, Hermione gave me a kiss, why would that change things?"

"Why would that change things?" asked Ron incredulously "That was True Loves First Kiss mate. It means that she is it for you, you can't fake that response Harry, the whole wind and the runes. It's forever."

Growing a bit angry at the lack of information that his friend was imparting, and the implication that he had no choice in this matter, Harry felt the need to lash out a bit.

"I've never heard of this True Loves Kiss Ron. Hermione planted one on me to prove a point, shockingly really as she never gave me any indication that she wanted to, and now you are saying that she is it for me, like I have no say in this?" He could feel his ears turning red with anger and could not bring himself to look at the only female of the Golden Trio. He felt like once again he had no control of his life.

Understanding why Harry was upset over his lack of choice in the matter, Hermione could not help but place her fingers to her lips, not only in remembrance of her first kiss with who she believed might be her soulmate, but also to hold back her sobs at the feeling of loss that she felt at his rejection of their bond.

Gathering her breath, she was about to respond to the boys as calmly as she could but was interrupted by Ron trying to explain the importance of their bond, but Harry wasn't in the mood to listen.

"So, there was a wind and now I have runes wrapping around me wrist. I've always wanted a tattoo, but this changes nothing. Hermione is still my best friend, we kissed, no big deal. Now If you don't mind, I am in severe need of a nap and a sandwich, this has been a really long day and I don't think that I can handle letting fate tell me what to do once again."

Watching her best friend walk away from her, without even looking at her, the runes on their wrist, even acknowledging her was one of the most painful things that she had ever experienced. More painful than their lack of friendship third year, their lack of respect sixth year, even Ron walking away from them during the hunt. She had never thought that Harry could ever treat her so callously after all that they had been through. She had been ready to lay her heart at his feet after seeing the proof of how right they were for each other that the fates had blessed them, and this is how he took the news. She had never been so glad to have been speechless than now.

Ron was stunned, he watched Harry walk away from them, not even acknowledging Hermione. He understood being overwhelmed and uncertain, but he had been blessed. After all his trials and tribulations Harry Potter had been blessed with the perfect person for him and she just happened to be his best friend as well and he just walked away from her. Turning to look at Hermione who had also watched him walk away, he saw the heartbreak in her eyes and the break in her posture, proof that her heart was shattering.

"Mione, I'm sorry. I don't know what has come over him. I can't believe he just…."

Stealing herself, she straightened her posture and closed everything off behind her occlumency barriers. They had saved her from losing her mind while being tortured, they would save her again as she accepted that her best friend obviously did not have the same feelings for her as she did for him.

"It's fine Ron, it must have been as much as a shock for him as it is for me. This is the way that he is processing."

Getting a bit angry at the woman that he thought would be his and having witnessed the whole fiasco just made him madder on her behalf.

"Don't make excuses for him Mione, you have to process this as well and I didn't see you being in a right strop about it. I know that his life has been crap, but that doesn't mean that he can treat you that way. He has been blessed."

"But he doesn't see it that way Ron, he sees it as another decision taken away from him. He loves your sister, he has never felt anything more for me than friendship and now I don't even think that, that will last. It isn't meant to be. He has never seen me the way that I saw him."

"So, you have felt this way about him for a while?" asked Ron, a little forlorn at the thought of a one-sided love on his side, while she had cared for Harry.

Realizing how that might have sounded to the boy that had professed that she was his girlfriend just a short while ago, she felt the need to comfort him a bit. After all he hadn't walked away when finding out about the bond. "Ron, I actually had a bit of a crush on you before third year, and then I realized just how different that we are, I didn't really develop one for Harry until fifth year, but he never saw me like that and then there was Cho and Ginny and how was I to compete with them?"

"Hermione, there is no comparison…" started Ron, unbelieving how this beautiful, strong, woman saw herself.

"There isn't a comparison in his mind obviously, Ronald and that is that. If he wants to ignore this, I am not going to deny him his right."

"But Mione."

"I will not beg, Ron." Said the witch stiltedly, wrapping every bit of pride around herself that she had left. "The snitch is in his court. I have survived worse, I will be fine. Let's go see your mum and dad."

Pulling down the sleeves on her jumper and her jacket over it and buttoning her cuffs, she grabbed Ron by the hand and walked with him back towards the castle and the devastation that had been left behind.


	3. Chapter 3

I know that it has been awhile since I have updated this story, but time has a way of getting away from us and then we are attacked by the plunnies. but here I am back again with a new chapter. This is more of a filler chapter and it fought me all the way, but I feel it was needed before we get into the nitty gritty of this story. And it will get nitty and gritty.

I want to thank all of you that have followed, favorited and reviewed this story and I truly hope that you continue to enjoy it.

 **Chapter 3**

The next few weeks went slowly, as much as she wanted time to speed up, there were things that needed to be done first. The lost needed to be found, the dead buried and the injured healed as much as they could be. There was no time to reflect, to wrap her head around the events that had taken place. There was no time to speak with Harry, not that she wanted to. He had not tried to speak to her since that day by the lake. The day that she believed that she had found her soul mate, was the last real conversation that she had, had with her Best Friend.

They had returned to the school to assist anywhere they could. They had been patched up, held up and fed up in the hours after the battle. They accepted hugs from those that had survived, and they were both welcomed back into the Weasley family. They offered their condolences and allowed themselves to be separated by Ginny and Mrs. Weasley never looking back at each other. Hermione would not force herself upon him, though with each step away she felt as if a small part of her was dying and when she spotted Harry holding onto Ginny so tightly she admitted to herself that she was not his choice and she would not interfere if he chose to continue that relationship.

With the removal of the bodies and as many of the injured as St. Mungo's could handle, Hogwarts gates were closed. The wards were too damaged to house so many displaced people and rather than cram into smaller spaces that could be warded strongly but temporarily, the Golden Trio and the Weasley family all retreated to Grimmauld Place.

Of course, there was a slight bit of discord when Hermione arranged a room for herself. Mrs. Weasley was upset by the change, stating that Ginny had missed Hermione just as much as her brother and Harry, but Hermione stood firm in her decision claiming that she did not want to keep the younger witch awake with the nightmares and insomnia that she suffered from. This was a partial truth, but she also could not go back to the relationship that they had before, where Ginny would talk non-stop about Harry and Hermione would offer her advice to help the witch. A year away from each other and living full time with Harry, she knew that it wasn't a match worth promoting, even before the complication of the soul bond. And while she would not interfere if a relationship with the fiery girl was what he wanted; she certainly was not going to help it along. She had sacrificed enough of herself that she would not and could not sacrifice the last piece of her heart that Harry held. Not willingly.

The grief of the family seemed unbearably heavy at times and at other times Mrs. Weasley treated everyone like the children that they were before they were damaged by the war that they had no business fighting. It was infuriating for Hermione. She was a woman of nineteen that had been starved, tortured and regrettably led around by her hopes and dreams by the wizarding world. Reports of how many muggleborns and half-bloods that were missing and presumed dead when they weren't located in Azkaban had her questioning why she had even bothered to fight, questioning how and why she was still alive when so many more were gone.

Days following the battle brought forth numerous funerals, some that she felt that she couldn't miss given the closeness of the deceased to her. The funeral of Fred Weasley had to have been the most sorrowful funeral that she had ever attended. Others it was expected of them to show up at and grieve with the remaining members of the family whether they be magical or muggle, the members of the Golden Trio and the Beacons for the Light. The Daily Prophet covered them all. With every trumped-up report featured in The Daily Prophet, she wanted to vomit. She and Harry had both been villainized and victimized in equal turns by the rag magazine and its readers, it was best if she did not comment, did not give interviews or press conferences. She only wanted to be left alone.

The worst of the funerals that she had attended had been for Remus and Nymphadora Lupin. The werewolf had been one of her closest friends and mentors in the few years that she had known him. Both knew what it was like to be ostracized for their blood status as well as their knowledge. Once she had gotten past her crush on the man, she had become closer to his girlfriend and future wife "just call me Tonks." The knowledge that they would never see their beautiful child grow up, killed something inside of her. It brought close the reality that was her life without her parents and Harry's but there was no way in Hades that, that child would be brought up like Harry was. It would be over her dead body.

As she sat between Ron and Harry, she finally let the tears come. They came silently, rolling down her cheeks. She did not sob; she did not rage. She did not utter a sound as she saw Ginny grasping Harry's hand and him pulling her into his arms. Her eyes did not leave the caskets in front of her after that side glance to her right. On her left she knew that Ron had felt her stiffen up and rather than draw her into his arms he took her hand and let his thumb rub softly against her knuckles. His other hand was held in a fist while he imagined multiple ways, he could knock some sense into the "Boy who Lived Again."


	4. Chapter 4

I want to thank all of you that have supported me on the journey of this story and for the patience that you have shown as I find my voice and my words. You guys are wonderful. Thank you for the favorites, follows and reviews. They mean the world to me.

Disclaimer: Any characters that you recognize are not mine, obviously. I thank Ms. Rowling daily for allowing us to play in her sandbox.

The Family that He Needed - The Beginning

Chapter 4

Harry Potter was a bloody toe-rag.

Hermione never thought that she would assign that name to her very best friend. She didn't even know what it was until she had asked Remus what it meant. She had heard the word used during one of the many stories she had heard him and Sirius sharing with Harry about his parents and that it was his mother's favorite name for his father, before they fell madly in love and made Harry. But even after everything he had put her through in the seven years that she had known him, she had never thought to even think that name in reference to her best friend, but now without a doubt it fit.

It had been almost two months since the final battle, almost two months since they had buried some of their most cherished friends and family and Harry Potter, the man who lived again, the conqueror and colossal toe-rag would not talk to her, would not look at her and would not even be alone in the same room with her.

"Harry, can we talk? Just for a couple of minutes…." Hermione asked tentatively, tired of waiting for him to reach out to her.

"I don't really think that this is the time…" replied Harry, turning from where Hermione stood beside him.

"Ron do you think that I should ask Andromeda to move in with us with Teddy. I really don't think that it is safe for her to be all alone right now with the few Death Eaters that are still in the wind."

"Mate, just stop for a moment and talk to Mione and then we can get things settled with Mrs. Tonks." Replied Ron with a tilting of his head and raising of his eyebrows towards where Hermione stood next one of the two windows in the room.

"No, no, I need to take care of this now. Everything else can wait. I have to make sure that they are safe." Harry said as his face became shuttered and he walked quickly from the room to make the fire call that he felt was so important.

Turning to his other best friend Ron saw her quickly turn to face the windows, reaching up to wipe a single tear from her eye.

Walking over to her, he placed his hands upon her shoulders and kissed the back of her head. "He will come around Mione, he's just in a bad place right now, wanting to make sure that everyone he loves is safe and close.

Straightening her spine, she held in a breath and let it out slowly before turning and facing Ron.

"I think that you're right Ron, he is trying to keep everyone that he loves close. I just don't feel like I am included in that little niche of people anymore, he just keeps pushing me away."

"Mione he loves, you, you know that he loves you. 'argued Ron, taking in Hermione's sad eyes and her gaunt face. Even months after the final battle, she still hadn't regained any of her weight and in fact it looked like she had lost additional weight that she could ill afford to lose.

"It's different now, I know that he loves me, but it has changed, and I honestly don't know what to do now, I don't know if I can do this anymore."

Pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her, he whispered into her hair. "He'll come around Hermione, just hold on a little bit longer."

Squeezing him tightly in her very fragile feeling arms, she whispered back. "I'm trying Ron, I am trying so hard to hold on.

A week later, with just Ron in the room, she had tried to apologize to him for what she believed now had been a colossal mistake on her part. She should have just gone and planted one on Professor Snape or Lucius Malfoy, for all the trouble that one little kiss had caused.

He refused to acknowledge her or her words. He changed the subject whenever she or Ron would try to bring it up or he would simply leave the room. He would seek out Ginny, not knowing or maybe not caring that this hurt Hermione the most or he would fire call Andromeda to check on Teddy as she hadn't agreed to move into the Black ancestral home.

She overheard Ron and Harry fighting one evening after they thought that she had gone to bed. Not wanting to hear Harry's true thoughts on the kiss and evident bond she turned away and went back into her room, not seeing the red head standing on the other side of the hallway listening to their brother try and talk sense into his best friend.

"Harry, do you even see what you are doing to Hermione, refusing to talk to her? Don't you see how much you have hurt her?" asked Ron looking at his best mate as if he had lost the plot.

"Does she realize what she has done to me Ron? I may not have figured that I would survive this war, but I had an idea of what I expected my life, of how all of our lives were going to be if we had actually won."

"And you think Mione has screwed up those plans, that she didn't have any plans of her own, so she thought she should screw up yours?"

"Maybe she shouldn't have kissed me without my permission. Maybe I never thought of her like that. Maybe I thought I would marry Ginny and you would marry Hermione and our kids would go off to school together someday and grow up being friends and family." Shouted Harry pulling on his hair in frustration, his face turning red in agitation.

Feeling like he would never understand Harry and his reasoning, he had to ask…

"So, help me understand this…The first time that Ginny kissed you, she asked for permission before planting one on you? And Lavender should have asked my permission before kissing me when we won the Quidditch game?"

"Well maybe not permission, but you knew Lavender liked you and I finally caught on that Ginny liked me."

"Yeah after Mione kindly pointed it out to you."

"You never said anything."

"Maybe I didn't want to picture my little sister panting after you. She was struck dumb by "The Boy Who Lived" for the first four years that we were are school. I thought that when she was dating Michael Corner or Dean that she had gotten over you, but the way that she has been hanging all over you since the battle has proven that theory wrong."

"She's been hurting over losing Fred, I just want to be there for her." Said Harry, looking down at his hands and not looking Ron in the eyes. "Don't you think that I am good enough for her?"

"Maybe I thought that you weren't good for each other. You broke up with her after dating her for just a few weeks. You thought to protect her, you never thought to protect Hermione, and she has been trying to protect the both of us for the last seven years. We've all been hurting over Fred, Harry. Along with everyone else that we've lost but you're hurting Hermione every time that you take Ginny in your arms."

"Well I'm not the one that changed things." Said Harry getting worked up again. "She is the one that kissed me to prove a point to you, it wasn't my idea to kiss her and bind myself to her, if I wanted to be bound to someone, I would have joined the Death Eaters and let him put his brand on me."

Suddenly, Ron stood up and slugged Harry in the face. Feeling his temper rising, his face turning purple and eyes seeing red he grabbed Harry by the front of his shirt.

"If you ever compare being bound to Hermione Granger, our best friend and the person that has stood beside you, never faltering for the last seven years to being bound to Riddle, I will hex you into oblivion. best friend or not. She has saved your ass along with mine for as many years as we have known her, and you are throwing that friendship and that gift of her love and her bond to you away. I know your life has sucked, but you need to grow the bloody hell up." Ron said before storming from his bedroom.

Laying in her bed that evening after hearing the door slam down the hall, she contemplated all that had happened during the last seven years since being introduced to the wizarding world. Hermione thought that her worst regret was obliviating her parents and the lives that she took in battle. Now she had a whole new regret of kissing her best friend and acknowledging the feelings that she had always had for him. If she could do things over, would she?

As depressed as she was fast becoming, trying to deal with her losses, her injuries and Harry's complete disregard for her, her regrets were piling up quickly. She almost regretted finding out that she was a witch and accepting her invitation to Hogwarts. Life might have been lonely, but maybe not as painful as what she had now. As those thoughts arose, her need to get out of the house and away from the feeling of abandonment she was experiencing grew until she finally decided it was time that she ventured back into the world.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you all so much for following, favorite-ing and reviewing my story. You guys really make my day, when I get the notification of a new follower. I am so sorry that it has taken so long for me to update this story, but real life has gotten more real and between work and redoing my office space and living room, the Holidays. I have just been completely overwhelmed. My muse keeps knocking on my brain, begging me to write something, anything, so here goes.

It is a short chapter, but we need to get the story moving.

 **The Family That He Needed – The Beginning**

 **Chapter 5**

The sun hadn't risen yet and the moon hadn't yet set, when Hermione found herself rolling out of bed, ready to start taking back her life.

By removing her unwanted presence from the person that she never thought would have abandoned her, his zealot girlfriend wanna-be and her harpy of a mother, she thought that she might find her way. She had better things to do then continue with this feeling of resentment and misdirection. There were others out there that needed help, that may appreciate her help and making herself useful to others would also serve to help get her out of the funk that had followed her since the final battle.

She was so tired of feeling exhausted, she was tired of feeling sorry for herself. She had helped to defeat the big bad Voldemort, she had fought for her place in this world, for the peace of mind that she wouldn't be rounded up like cattle, for being a Muggleborn witch, for being best friends with Undesirable number ONE and for being an unofficial member of the Order of the Phoenix. It was time to take her place in that world.

After completing her morning ablutions under a silencing charm as to not wake anyone in the household and writing a note to leave for Ronald, she quietly made her way down the stairs until she reached the basement kitchen. She knew that she would not be interrupted by anyone at this time of morning, as each of the individuals sharing the house with her had their own schedules that did not include rising with the sun.

She approached the ancient stove in the corner of the kitchen, but before she could heat the water for her tea and make herself a slice of toast, there was a soft pop and Kreacher appeared in front of her effectively chasing the remaining sleep from her body as she tried to contain her sound of surprise from waking anyone.

"Missy mudblood, needs to sit down and allow Kreacher to serve her." Growled Kreacher looking even more irritated than usual. With a snap of his fingers, the tea pot started to heat, and a bowl of porridge floated over to her place with a drizzle of honey and several raspberries, just the way that she had once enjoyed it. Stress had made eating anything so heavy a chore for her and she had usually forgone the treat in favor of eating toast with just a small schmear of butter.

Behind her, the table had been set with a mug for her tea, along with a small glass of orange juice and a small plate of fruit. About to object, Kreacher snapped his fingers once again and a chair appeared behind Hermione, causing her to sit abruptly before softly pushing into the table. Kreacher continued around the kitchen, clearing old Daily Prophets from the end of the table and sending the broom out to various rooms in the manor, a constant litany of grumbles regarding the sharp tongued harpy that had taken over his home, his clueless master to the plans of the harpy in training and the muddy witch that wasn't taking care of herself.

Comforted by the sound of Kreacher grumbling, Hermione slowly ate her breakfast while enjoying the emptiness of the kitchen. The lack of Ginny fawning over Harry and Harry holding her hand when she appeared melancholy. The site of Mrs. Weasley's smug smile when she noticed Harry not speaking to Hermione. The sadness that encompassed the rest of the family. Mr. Weasley, Bill and Fleur, Percy and gods poor George were barely holding on at times. Ron tried to help everyone, tried to be there when Hermione had her nightmares, when George woke in the night screaming for Fred and talking to Percy whom was feeling increasingly guilty that he wasn't the one dead, for leaving his family when he came out against Dumbledore and his half-baked plans.

Grabbing her cup of tea and watching the sun rise through the miniscule windows that framed the basement kitchen of the Most Noble House of Black, Hermione felt peace fill her for the first time since she had re-entered this house over two months ago. The decision had been made by the remaining older members of the Order, that the younger members should remain out of sight, except for the funerals that they would and could have never missed.

She knew that her peace would be short lived for the next couple of months. The trials of the captured Death Eaters would be held soon, and she planned on attending quite a few of those trials. There were always two sides to a war, but many different reasons for people to go to war. Quite a few of the captured and incarcerated Death Eaters were students that went to school with her. People that but for her blood could have been her friends, if not friends, then her equals or contemporaries. But there were a few that she counted as friends, not that Harry, Ron or anyone else could have been told of this while they were in school. Slytherin's were bad, Gryffindor's were good, and heavens forbid that anyone ever thought differently.

Turning around, about to take her dishes and teacup to the sink, Kreacher snapped his fingers and the dishware had disappeared, before appearing back on the counter, stacked and clean once again.

"Mistress mudblood, needs to be leaving the house now" croaked Kreacher nodding softly at Hermione and making shooing gestures with his hands. "I hear the harpy lady moving about upstairs, mistress needs to leave the house now."

Looking at Kreacher with a tilt to her head Hermione thanked the elf for the breakfast and for his words of warning. As she climbed the front steps leading out of the kitchen, she could hear the heavy footfalls of Molly Weasley as she descended the back staircase.

Quietly dropping the wards on the front door and easing it open in hopes of not rousing the cantankerous painting of the former Mrs. Black, Hermione silently slipped through the door before closing it behind her and standing on the stoop to look over Grimmauld Place. Sending a prayer upwards that the people that she was leaving behind that morning would be kept safe, she turned on her heal and disapparated away from the only home she now had and her friend that no longer had a use for her.


End file.
